In iePolitics’ always-continuing quest to assist San Bernardino County administrators in balancing their budget, we have happened upon an obvious cost-cutting measure. We know that District Attorney Mike Ramos and Public Defender Doreen Boxer have already joined . . . um . . . forces, in a Biblical sense of course, so the next step only makes sense. It’s time to consolidate the two departments and allow District Attorney Ramos to have the final decision over all criminal proceedings in San Bernardino County.
“We can’t do that,” you say. Why not? Conflicts of interest do not seem to be of concern to anyone. Take for example, one of the most recent campaign contributions to Ramos of $10,000. That contribution brings the total to $83000 that the law affiliation of conflict panel attorneys James Spring and Earl Carter have given to Ramos since 2004 to support his re-election. This equates to 15 to 20 percent of all campaign contributions received in that same period. The conflict panel attorneys are Ramos’ single largest contributor.
San Bernardino County has one of the highest plea bargain rates in the state of California, which is a plus for conflict panel attorneys as they are paid a flat rate and plea bargains represent the least amount of work for the contract amount. The District Attorney gets his high conviction rate and the county saves on indigent defense. The only losers in all of this are their clients who may have been falsely accused, not that a district attorney of such high integrity as Mike Ramos would ever do such a thing.
And really, here in San Bernardino County we have one-stop shopping for our entire judicial branch of the government as Ramos takes care of the judges as well. He has continued lobbying for $20,000 a year benefit package on their behalf. But there is no conflict of interest in that.
District Attorney Mike Ramos’ concern for the pursuit of justice for all knows no bounds. Hail Mike Ramos.
This is a bad idea. If Ms. Boxer says “Not tonight dear” then does the plea bargain get worse?
This whole incident involving the Public Defender is appalling and embarrassing to San ernardino County residents.
Here is a better idea, let’s just shuck the PD’s office and put some “hard working” civil attorneys to work. We could contract out to anyone that fills out the non discrimination paperwork and all the other vendor hoopla. Then, they could all make their way to the Taj elevators to pay their “respects” to the BOS staff and consecrate their contracts. Who was it, Shakespeare I beleive, who noted the uselessness of most attorneys by saying, “kill all the lawyers”.
That is only the first half of Shakespeare’s statement.
In fact [lawyers insist], the famous quote from Shakespeare is not a criticism of lawyers, but actually is the greatest possible compliment. The scene from “Henry VI” (Part II) concerns the planning of an evil revolution–a takeover of power by Cades and his companion, Dick the Butcher, for their own greedy purposes. Dick the Butcher, recognizing the one group of people that might save the citizenries’ property and rights, says: “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” The lawyers, in other words, were the potential enemies of the despots.
The California State Bar Association should be contacted.
The only way the system can work properly is without a Public Defender. Defendants must be able to select their representative from the private sector who, if he accepts, will be paid a fair wage for his service.
The current system in California leaves a poor defendant absolutely without defense representation, and violates everything the system was designed to protect.
Publius, you are correct about Shakespeare, but when have you seen a PD truly represent the best interests of their client? Most of the “innocent ’till proven guilty” couldn’t care less about man’ing up and taking their dose of justice. Thus, the PD does a wonderful job of obfuscating taxpayer dollars into a pit of injustice. But they also are the last barrier between the poor being thrown into a completely feckless prison system; equally guilty of tax abuse.
Don’t see much use in any of ‘em but until a better mousetrap presents itself….
Public Defender site: http://pdrevolution.blogspot.com/